Election Day Propositions, Candidates, Judges and More

Election Day is less than a month away. We’ve all heard more than enough about Sarah “Pitbull” Palin but most of us still aren’t sure how to vote on many of the propositions, judicial candidates, assembly seats, and other races right here in California.

The LA Progressive has pulled together a list of endorsements and resources from a couple of sources to help you make an informed decision when you vote in the coming weeks. Like you, we can hardly wait to vote for Barack Obama and to see the Bushes leave 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue but let’s not forget that we’ve got a whole slew of decisions to make locally as well.

The following endorsements were made by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. The links are sourced at the end of this article.

Dick Price is a publishing executive for the IEEE Computer Society and long-time magazine editor. Sharon Kyle is a financial analyst and studies law at The People’s College of Law in Los Angeles. Together, they publish several print and online newsletters on political and social justice issues. Sharon serves as Publisher for the LA Progressive and Dick serves as Editor.

About Dick and Sharon

As a husband and wife team, Sharon Kyle and Dick Price publish several print and online newsletters on political and social justice issues. Sharon serves as Publisher for Dick & Sharon's LA Progressive and Dick serves as Editor.

Comments

The Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) today released Redistricting Reform in California: Proposition 11 on the November 2008 California Ballot, which makes five key findings:

The independent commission is likely to be more ethnically diverse than the legislature’s redistricting committees.
The independent commission will be more balanced between Republicans, Democrats and members of neither major party.
The independent commission will be more open to public input than legislative committees.
The districts created by the independent commission will almost certainly be more competitive than districts created by the legislature.
The independent commission will almost certainly produce maps through a process that has improved transparency and public access.
On November 4, 2008, Californians may have their last opportunity to change the redistricting process before maps are redrawn in 2011—when new districts will be locked into place for another decade. California’s current legislative redistricting law, under which legislative committees draw the lines for state electoral districts, usually benefits incumbents and the political party in power. This leads to decreased competition; since the last redistricting in 2001, only one seat changed parties due to competition in 459 legislative and congressional races.

Proposition 11, by contrast, could increase fairness and public involvement in the redistricting process, and it could decrease political manipulation of district boundaries by requiring an independent commission to follow specific criteria in drawing State Assembly, State Senate and Board of Equalization districts.

The below report from the Center for Government Studies comes as validation for those of us within the California Democratic Party who have been promoting Proposition 11 as way to end the ridiculous gerrymandering that has bestowed upon our state the LEAST COMPETETIVE congressional and state legislative electoral districts in the nation. I entreat you to read the below and share it with other California voters. YES ON PROPOSITION 11!!

The Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) today released Redistricting Reform in California: Proposition 11 on the November 2008 California Ballot, which makes five key findings:

The independent commission is likely to be more ethnically diverse than the legislature’s redistricting committees.
The independent commission will be more balanced between Republicans, Democrats and members of neither major party.
The independent commission will be more open to public input than legislative committees.
The districts created by the independent commission will almost certainly be more competitive than districts created by the legislature.
The independent commission will almost certainly produce maps through a process that has improved transparency and public access.
On November 4, 2008, Californians may have their last opportunity to change the redistricting process before maps are redrawn in 2011—when new districts will be locked into place for another decade. California’s current legislative redistricting law, under which legislative committees draw the lines for state electoral districts, usually benefits incumbents and the political party in power. This leads to decreased competition; since the last redistricting in 2001, only one seat changed parties due to competition in 459 legislative and congressional races.

Proposition 11, by contrast, could increase fairness and public involvement in the redistricting process, and it could decrease political manipulation of district boundaries by requiring an independent commission to follow specific criteria in drawing State Assembly, State Senate and Board of Equalization districts.

Redistricting Reform in California: Proposition 11 on the November 2008 California Ballot and other CGS reports are available on the CGS website, http://www.cgs.org. The James Irvine Foundation and Carnegie Corporation provided generous funding for this report, but they are not responsible for the statements or views it expresses.

——————————————————————————–

CGS Mission

The Center for Governmental Studies (CGS) creates innovative political and media solutions to help individuals participate more effectively in their communities and governments. CGS uses research, advocacy, information technology and education to improve the fairness of governmental policies and processes, empower the underserved to participate more effectively in their communities, improve communication between voters and candidates for office, and help implement effective public policy reforms.

I’ve just finished my own research and thought I’d point out I came up with a different opinion on two of these propositions.

Proposition 3 – Children’s Hospital Bond Act – NO

Way, way back in 2004 I recommended an unenthusiastic yes vote on Prop 61 to fund additional children’s hospital projects. Like this one, it was backed by private healthcare companies, which were given $750 million to build these new facilities. Well, they still have more than $300 million of that money, so (a) why don’t they use it before they clutter up another ballot asking for mo’ money, and (b) our fat, ill-nourished, attention deficit-disordered kids are still getting sicker every day, so WTF happened with the $400 million-plus they’ve already spent? I won’t get fooled again.

That’s MISTER T. Boone Pickens to you. I’m sure we’ve all seen him on TV yammering about energy. Mr. T Boone Pickens owns a company that sells natural gas for transportation, and he’s bought and paid for this prop, which would hand out substantial cash incentives for purchasers of “alternative fuel vehicles.” Wonderful, right? But this proposal does not include most electric and hybrid vehicles, which are the ones Californians generally want to drive. Instead this gives the cash to truckers who trade their diesel engines for natural gas. Did I mention Pickens sells natural gas? Can’t someone buy us a legitimate clean energy prop?

Once again, an excellent newsletter.
I have compared your recommendations to mine and am happy
to report that I will be voting a straight (but not narrow)
LA PROGRESSIVE recommended ballot!

If you haven’t seen it yet, catch UNCOUNTED.
Also, South Pasadena Neighbors for Peace and Justice had
a very successful West Coast premiere this weekend of “MURDER, SPIES AND VOTING LIES” with Brad Friedman, writer, director, AirAmerica personality and founder, Brad’s Blog.com. Long-time
Disability Rights Activist and
Progressive Bill Zuke was also in attendance.

WE need to keep pushing and keep asking for more volunteers
to make this election a REAL election. Thanks for all you do.

The Body Politic

Dave Zirin: She is our Jordan. She is our Jim Brown. She is our Babe Ruth, calling his shots. She is no longer content to dodge bullets, but understands how to stop them. Serena is that rare athlete who has not only mastered her sport. She’s harnessed it.